Harmonization - Energy Efficiency and GHGI Metrics and Streamlining Application Processes

Harmonizing GDS targets across municipalities in the GTHA offers several advantages, such as fostering region-wide cohesion and consistency, which can streamline processes for developers and create efficiencies for municipalities in the development and update of targets. Harmonizing the majority of GDS targets across municipalities can also facilitate the sharing of best practices and ensure that all municipalities are moving towards common sustainability goals. This can help municipalities compare and share sustainability outcomes with those of their municipal peers, enabling regional benchmarking and performance tracking.

• Developer Desire: Harmonization is desired, particularly in energy and emissions metrics.
• Challenges: Harmonization and leading practices can sometimes conflict. Harmonization can lead to the lowest common denominator, whereas leading practices identify where the market is at. Harmonization at the leading practice level should be the goal.
• Opportunities: When the national model building code is updated in 2025, there may be an opportunity to harmonize energy/emissions metrics across GDS.

Streamlining Application Processes:

Municipalities can also respond to the development community's input to make GDS easier by exploring a online portal with clarity on and verification of all necessary supporting documents being part of a complete submission.